The chokeberry trees and the wild rose bushes are leafing–they are always the first two to show any sign we might have leaves soon. The rhubarb has emerged from a huge snow drift and is poking its red sprouts toward the sun. Our weather has been unsettled this week with long stretches of warm sunshine and then thunderstorms bringing just enough rain to make a muddy mess. The grouse are courting or trying to court. The amorous males run around all day in full regalia chasing the females–they are leaving their calling cards in the yard, on the deck and sidewalk–the whole bunch of them need to find a new home!!
Monday I traveled to Livingston and enjoyed a long lunch with friend Sarah. On Tuesday the Cowboy did the same–he traveled to Big Timber to have lunch with a bunch of high school classmates. Those guys have such a good time–it’s cool that so many of them still live in the area and are healthy enough to gather!
The rubber strip on the bottom of both our garage doors were kaput and we replaced those this week. It was quite the chore–lots of grunting and swearing was happening!
Friday evening we journeyed to Lonn’s for a Cinco De Mayo gathering of friends and neighbors. Our friends/neighbors Ken and Lesley rode with us and we enjoyed chatting with them going and coming. Lots of food, lots and lots of very good food! The kiddos enjoyed having friends to play with–I bet they all slept soundly that night!
Well, the Emmi girl is definitely loosing her hearing, maybe totally. She is a 10 pound super duper watch dog. When our UPS guy Tony backs his truck up to our doorway she is on high alert, bouncing all four feet off the ground with every high pitched bark. She goes out once the truck is stopped, Tony talks to her and gives Emmi a treat. One day this week when Tony came, the window was open in the kitchen which looks out over the driveway, Emmi was asleep in her bed and she never heard him backing the noisy truck up to the back door–never moved. When our friend Ken came for lunch the other day, she never moved from her bed. Makes us so sad! I’ve ordered a whistle–she sometimes seems to hear the Cowboy’s whistle but I can’t whistle.
The Cowboy washed the big truck on Saturday–it was filthy to start with then we took it to Lonn’s and that road is one big sloppy mess. He also started working on putting the RV roof back together. We tarped the roof when realizing this unsettled rain pattern was happening–good thing we did.
On Wednesday morning I woke up with a cough–no other symptoms, just a cough. Thursday I was fine, no cough. Friday, woke up with the cough again and by Friday night I had one major case of laryngitis which the Cowboy is enjoying immensely! 🙂 Saturday I spoke in squeaky whispers if I spoke at all and today–same thing, cough and laryngitis. I don’t feel bad, have no other symptoms, sleep well–weird! It has to be allergies–tested myself for covid–negative. And the Cowboy hasn’t caught whatever it is I have. Really weird!
On Friday I spent most of the day in the kitchen. I made tortillas and bread. The bread recipe I found on the back of a bag of Gold Medal whole wheat flour I had–Honey Whole Wheat Bread–and I think it’s our new most favorite bread. I took a loaf to Katie and her gang–they too loved it.
One of the ladies in my Arizona book club highly recommended this book, Invisible Child; Poverty, Survival and Hope in an American City. Even though this was a hard read for me I devoured this book. When I say a book is “hard” I usually mean the subject content is uncomfortable whether sad, ugly, or even evil. This book set in New York City was all three–sad, ugly and evil–the foster system in New York City is broken, perhaps irreparably broken. And the children suffer.
Not the greatest photos but this is about the third time we’ve seen a bald eagle in the tops of our trees along the driveway. At Lonn’s our grandson had spotted another bald eagle–again, not the greatest photo but they are so, so cool to see!
The Cowboy changed the oil in the big truck and installed mud flaps to keep the mud from piling up on the running boards. Breakfast was late this morning–we slept later than normal because we stayed up watching Fiddler On The Roof. So that made lunch late–steaks on the grill and french fries done in the new massive, gigantic, counter space hogging toaster oven/air fryer/etc. I bought an air fryer last summer–wasn’t really crazy about the appliance–then it was recalled due to a fire hazard. The company had us cut the power cord, take too many photos and complete an online form. The company provided several replacement options. I did not want another air fryer. One of the options was a toaster oven and I neglected to notice the oven was also an air fryer. The thing is HUGE! I don’t have a lot of counter space in this house. I have an idea for shelving in the mud room just off the kitchen but the Cowboy isn’t too thrilled with the idea. Time will tell!
Almost all our snow is gone–just a few drifts remain.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
Sounds like life is ticking along, even though spring is dragging it’s heels. So great to see those eagles!
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Yep, life is moving right along. Love seeing the eagles, wish I could get better photos!
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Love reading your stories!! Poor Emmie, I can relate! Losing my hearing comes with age, I guess! Hope she got a treat anyway!!
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She gets way too many treats–boiled chicken.
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Hi Janna!
Jerry wants to know if you raised the garage doors first…
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Yes we did, almost all the way up, but it was still hard! Mike struggled a long time before coming to get me for help.
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What a wonderful post Janna. Where to begin…it is sad to read about Emmi’s hearing. Dover is completely deaf too, but sometimes reacts if I clap my hands really loud. I wonder is it the clap of the sudden movement. Extra hugs for Emmi! I love her How awesome to see the Eagle. I’ve only seen one … at Harriman State Park in Island Park Idaho.
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It’s Gay…I have no idea why/how that posted Janna…I was typing I love her eyes and expression! Sorry!
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Thanks Gay for both comments! 🙂 Emmi too–if I clap really loud she hears it and for some reason she can still hear the sound of a spoon on her pottery dish–food!! 🙂
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Wonderful Emmi picture after the bath. It’s hard to imagine such a thing as too many treats for her! Our little 13 year old dog has stopped eating her canned food at all so she now “subsists” on boiled chicken, ground turkey and veggies. Vets OK with it, and she has to be fed. It’s actually easier to travel with her this way, no lugging heavy canned food.
Cheers,
Ceci
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Emmi is still a good eater. She eats a small amount of canned food and some kibble plus boiled chicken as a treat.
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I don’t remember if you told us in a previous post about your air fryer and why you didn’t like it. I’ve gone back and forth about getting one so I’d like to hear about your experience!
Love Emmi’s curls and shiny eyes. 🙂 Hope you recover soon from your laryngitis!
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Air fryers make great french fries with very little oil–so they are healthier. There is all sorts of stuff you can do with an air fryer, I just decided it took up too much counter space for its uses. I made chicken parmesan in the air fryer–cooking the chicken. I can do that in a skillet and not have the two baskets to wash from the air fryer. It’s just one appliance I can do without. I wasn’t sure I would use the Instant Pot but I do every week for something.
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We have a Cuisinart combo convection/toaster/air fryer and use it all the time. The oven in our stove is super flakey so we roast/bake/air fry everything in the Cuisinart.
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It’s just an appliance I can do without. My ovens work great–in AZ and in MT.
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Grunting and swearing are always in our toolbox, and pulled out for most projects! We’ve started having Tessa on leash more often now as her hearing is also deteriorating. Either that or she’s just learned to ignore us better! The whistle is a great idea. Tessa responds well to a loud clap. Lovely that Michael has lifetime friends close by.
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That’s funny Jodee–sometimes I too think Emmi has decided to ignore us! I always think of you guys when I write about Mike and his high school friends.
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Isn’t it hilarious watching the grouse and other birds do their mating rituals? The way the strut and follow the hens around is so entertaining.
Poor Emmi. It breaks my heart to see dogs get old like that. I just want them to live forever.
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And the hens aren’t too interested right now–but the males still strut! Yes, wouldn’t it be wonderful if our dogs lived as long as we do!
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Sorry to “hear” Emmi has lost her hearing. I hope the whistle works especially for the UPS man’s arrival. You don’t want to miss that treat. She looks so cute after bath. I can only imagine John’s happiness if I got laryngitis! Haha! I did get it many years ago when I started back teaching. After just three days, I couldn’t talk. The doctor told me to never whisper because that will put strain on the vocal cords and it will return. Our kids thought it was great that mom couldn’t talk! I love homemade bread. I wish I could get motivated to try it. One day! Love those bald eagles! Lucky you.
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The whistle works! Tony our UPS man loves Emmi so I bet he will be glad when she comes outside for treats–when she was more agile, she would get in the van with Tony while he was searching for our packages as if to say, “come on Tony, where’s my treat!” I’m ready for this laryngitis to go!
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